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   Strategic Plan Update

   discussed

   Council reviewed and updated the City's 2023-2024 Strategic Plan, going through objectives including increasing the tax base, partnering to catalyze investment, expanding the tax base via annexation, increasing residential and commercial property values, and addressing substandard properties on US Highway 19. Various edits were made to goals and action items, including adding 5332 Acorn Street to the River Road Church RFP assemblage, changing the boat ramp redevelopment to development at the northeast corner of River and Main, and discussing an interlocal agreement with Pasco County to enforce ordinances on county-owned properties. No formal votes were taken; council provided direction for staff revisions.

   • direction:Remove 'redevelopment of the River Road Church property' from goals as it is incomplete and involves three parcels.
   • direction:Replace 'boat ramp redevelopment / Chamber of Commerce piece' with 'development of the northeast corner of River and Main Street'.
   • direction:Include 5332 Acorn Street in the RFP for the Truist property / River Road Church assemblage.
   • direction:Add action item to continue working with the Main Street Organization on programming downtown business events.
   • direction:Pursue an interlocal agreement with Pasco County allowing the city to enforce ordinances on county-owned properties along US Highway 19.
   • direction:Develop a redevelopment plan for the Marine District in connection with HCA property redevelopment and Schwetman acquisition.

   📍5332 Acorn Street📍Grady Prison property📍Grand Boulevard from Marine Parkway to Gulf Drive📍Leisure Lane and Vandoren Avenue📍Main and Bank Streets📍Marine Parkway and US Highway 19📍Nebraska Avenue parking lot📍Northeast corner of River and Main Street📍River Road Church property🏢ABC Warehouse🏢Behavioral Health Center🏢Billy's Funeral Home🏢Davis Hardware🏢Davis Plaza / Dollar General Plaza🏢Gulf High School🏢HCA🏢Hacienda🏢Kaiser building🏢Kenan🏢Magnuson Hotel🏢Main Street Organization🏢Publix🏢Riverside Inn🏢Schwetman Education School🏢Waffle House👤Debbie👤Judy👤Mr. Morrow👤Ms. Whitman👤Peter Altman👤Robert#Annexation Needs Assessment#CRA Plan update#Certificate of Compliance Program#Community Development Block Grant#Housing Rehabilitation Fund ($750,000)#Infill Housing Program#Marine District redevelopment#Neighborhood Reinvestment Program#Parking Study#Railroad Square Phase One#Rental Rehabilitation Program#Residential Rental Inspection Program#South Gateway Inundation Park#Strategic Plan 2023-2024#Truist property RFP#US Highway 19 corridor redevelopment#Urban Core Residential Study

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   [00:00:22] So we're going to discuss the strategic plan and I understand you're on the show tonight. I'd be glad to Mr. Mayor. [00:00:30] Tonight's discussion, Peter and Altman, is now joining. Delights to the city's strategic plan which is covering the 2023-2024 year. [00:00:54] If the city's goals and action plans are still relevant and in that respect it guides the development of our budget document. [00:01:14] As part of the strategic plan objectives, there are actually 14 specific subject areas that are identified in the document for address and there are contained within the document specific goals and action items that are attributed to each objective. [00:01:40] The markings associated with each indicate by color the status of the implementation of each action item. Green meaning we are fully effectuated in terms of implementation. [00:02:01] Yellow means it is in progress. Red, we have not or we completed the work. Robert, help me out. Red means we have not started. [00:02:26] So we'll get started with the first objective which is to increase the tax base. And Judy, are you going to put it up on the screen or are we working from the booklets? [00:02:39] Okay, and Pete has a hard copy as well then. So we'll review the goals which are contained in increased tax base. We have the hacienda, renovation and reopening, and the parking study as a first step to a parking solution. [00:03:09] The pedestrian overpass at Marine Parkway and US Highway 19, we did complete the study for that project. Grand Boulevard multi-use path project design has been completed. [00:03:31] I don't think it represents the appropriate component though on this sheet and it should say from Marine Parkway to Gulf Drive. Right? [00:04:01] And in yellow, we indicate maximized development of vacant lots in the downtown area, indicating the Grady Prison property, the redevelopment of the River Road Church property. [00:04:29] You know what, let me, if you'll excuse me just for a minute, I want to take a quick look at this. I'm a little concerned that this isn't the right draft. [00:04:40] The River Road property you're talking about across from the funeral home, Billy's funeral home. [00:04:55] Hello? [00:04:56] Yes, Pete, we're keeping up. [00:04:58] Debbie's thinking. [00:05:01] Peter Altman. [00:05:02] We're going to keep going. [00:05:03] Is now exiting. [00:05:04] We're going to take off redevelopment of the River Road Church property because that is really incomplete in and of itself because there are actually three parcels of property involved in that redevelopment project and I'm sure that we talk about it later in the plan. [00:05:34] Instead of boat ramp redevelopment, we should say development of the Chamber of Commerce piece, but instead of Chamber of Commerce piece, we should say development of the [00:05:57] Corner of River and Main. [00:06:00] River and Main. [00:06:02] River and Main Street. [00:06:06] Northeast corner. [00:06:07] Thank you. [00:06:08] Thank you. [00:06:17] And in terms of action items, we are moving forward on implementation of parking study recommendations. [00:06:27] We are in discussion with property owners about infill opportunities. [00:06:33] We have made improvements at the Nebraska Avenue parking lot and we are in the process of completing the design documents for railroad square phase one and construction phase one for Grand Boulevard multi-use path. [00:07:00] Are there any additions that we need to make for our goals or action items at this point? [00:07:13] Oh, here it is. [00:07:16] I knew it was somewhere else. [00:07:17] Release RFP on truest property River Road Church assemblage. [00:07:23] And let's include 5332 Acorn Street in that reference. [00:07:34] Acquire the Schwetman Education School property and implement alley improvement program, both of which are in process. [00:07:48] The next objective in the mobilized reinvestment category is to partner to catalyze investment. [00:08:00] And in the items that have been accomplished, we continue to actively seek development partners and expand our focus beyond the design documents. [00:08:15] Partners and expand our focus beyond the downtown area. [00:08:19] We devote attention to current business community and we are maintaining communication channels with other levels of government. [00:08:32] We have developed a plan for the former HCA property. [00:08:37] We are working on a plan for the surrounding area. [00:08:41] We have worked with Kenan to identify a developer to construct a hotel on the pad adjacent to the Kaiser building. [00:08:52] And we have facilitated or in the process of facilitating the redevelopment of the Magnuson Hotel. [00:09:02] We are interested but do not have a status to report at this time on working with the Davis Plaza, Dollar General Plaza on the redevelopment of that site. [00:09:15] We are seeking development partner to construct the resiliency improvements for the South Gateway Inundation Park. [00:09:25] And we are planning to release an RFP on the former county building located at Main and Bank Streets. [00:09:34] What are you looking for since they remodeled the front of those buildings at Davis Hardware? [00:09:41] Are you looking to put some more businesses out in the parking lot like Waffle House? [00:09:46] No, we are not looking to put more businesses in there but we are looking to incorporate some residential into the overall shopping center. [00:09:58] And we've got a couple of different design documents that are in our master plan for Highway 19 and the downtown district which we can share with you. [00:10:11] And they cite some residential options on the property very nicely. [00:10:17] All of the action items that are cited are ongoing from existing, from previous years plans. [00:10:45] There were a couple added that aren't noted here. [00:11:00] As I recall, it was continue to work with the Main Street Organization on programming downtown. [00:11:16] Business events, that was the only addition. [00:11:22] Under, on page 9, expand the tax base. [00:11:30] There are goals. [00:11:36] And the ongoing is to conduct the annexation needs assessment and strategy and that has been developed. [00:11:47] As part of that, we need to articulate the value of annexation and develop a long-term annexation plan. [00:11:58] Articulating the value will be part of our marketing campaign. [00:12:02] Developing a long-term annexation plan has not occurred yet and needs to be part of a process. [00:12:12] As we learned as part of our annexation needs assessment, many of the annexation areas that are of interest to us will require a vote of the people in order to be effectuated. [00:12:26] Because they're large enough and there are enough voters in the area that they will have to vote affirmatively in favor of becoming a permanent part of the city of New Port Richey in order for us to take them. [00:12:41] The accompanying action item is to enter into a mutual consent agreement with Pasco County as appropriate. [00:12:50] An example of that would be the interlocal agreement that we're entering into or may enter into related to the Leisure Lane-Vandoren Avenue property. [00:13:02] And we have seven such enclaves in the city for which we are eligible to enter into an interlocal agreement with Pasco County to cover. [00:13:15] Moving on to increase taxable value of residential properties. [00:13:26] We are in progress to upgrade residential housing stock by implementing programs to support citizens and neighborhoods. [00:13:36] All of you recall that we did leave the county and apply directly to HUD for funding assistance in the form of Community Development Block Grant Funds, specifically Housing Rehabilitation Fund, and received $750,000 to support that program. [00:14:02] Our response to that program was good. The needs in the community are there and we believe, based on what we've seen so far, that we may very well be able to spend the majority, if not all of those funds, in our first year of the program. [00:14:29] Just demonstrating that we need to seek additional grant sources to provide more assistance to more homeowners that are in need of necessary home improvements and upgrades. [00:14:42] In that regard, when we get around to introducing the capital budget to you, you will see that we have also appropriated funds in capital to provide such relief to homeowners in various forms. [00:15:00] And, we also want to be able to support efforts to promote that residents do have safe, stable, [00:15:07] and permanent housing. [00:15:09] Action items to support those efforts. [00:15:13] We want to continue the residential rental inspection program. [00:15:18] We want to assess our existing housing programs and inspection services to identify our strengths, [00:15:27] our weaknesses, and any gaps in programming. [00:15:30] We want to establish an infill housing program. [00:15:34] As part of the infill housing program, we will take properties that we acquire through [00:15:43] either through various means to include foreclosure, sell them, and to include either constructing [00:15:57] homes, rehabbing homes, and make them available from people to people that want to be productive [00:16:06] members of the New Port Richey community. [00:16:10] We want to implement a neighborhood reinvestment program. [00:16:14] We want to consider a certificate of compliance program for people that own single-family [00:16:24] houses in the city, as well as multi-family properties with less than four structures, [00:16:38] less than four residences. [00:16:41] We want to adopt a rental rehabilitation program, which is an opportunity for the owners of [00:16:47] rental property to borrow money to implement necessary improvements. [00:16:57] We want to conduct an urban core residential study and continue the housing rehabilitation [00:17:04] program and additionally establish a plan for neighborhood nodes, identify and prioritize [00:17:16] the neighborhood areas that need redevelopment. [00:17:24] In respect to increasing the taxable value of commercial properties, the goals that we [00:17:32] believe have been activated are to address substandard businesses currently in operation, [00:17:40] to diversify the business mix within the city, really an ongoing effort, and much of that [00:17:47] will be contained in our update to the CRA plan, attract additional business to the city, [00:17:56] also in our update to the CRA plan, adopt design guidelines for commercial properties [00:18:03] in the downtown area, something we'll be considering after we adopt our new CRA plan. [00:18:11] We've got some of these things in green, that doesn't mean it's ended, it means it's... [00:18:16] It's ongoing, we started it, yeah. [00:18:20] We've done some, but we need to do more, really. [00:18:23] The program's established, it just never might not. [00:18:25] That's right. [00:18:26] Yeah, okay. [00:18:27] Action items, we've addressed efficient standards for motels and used car dealerships along [00:18:33] US Highway 19. [00:18:36] We've offered incentives as appropriate for business owners that wanted to make improvements [00:18:46] to their properties. [00:18:48] We have implemented many development agreements to support those efforts. [00:18:56] We have started to develop a recruitment strategy and started to produce different marketing [00:19:04] pieces to support our efforts at recruitment and retention. [00:19:11] And we are working on a plan for the US Highway 19 corridor for some redevelopment efforts. [00:19:21] And we will be promoting facade improvements to comply with the CRA recommendations that [00:19:28] come out of the study. [00:19:30] We want to identify potential brownfield sites and seek grants to remediate any brownfields [00:19:37] that exist for redevelopment purposes. [00:19:41] Develop a business mix strategy for the downtown area, proactively communicate ordinances to [00:19:48] new businesses so that we don't communicate new ordinances to them by way of their violations. [00:19:56] Submit ordinances to council as appropriate to reduce blight. [00:20:04] And continue to participate in property assemblage. [00:20:08] I'm just back up there for a second. [00:20:10] I developed a plan for the US 19 corridor. [00:20:13] It seems like we've started going south on 19, all right, but it's going north, so it's [00:20:18] really going to be a continuous thing. [00:20:21] It might not ever turn green, you know, with my opinion, just a little comment. [00:20:26] You know, I mean, because like we're working, I think we've been successful going south [00:20:30] a little bit, but there's so much box buildings that are empty going north. [00:20:36] So I don't, I mean, I don't know how we can ever end that from yellow, from yellow to [00:20:41] green. [00:20:42] Well, maybe because there's so many empties, that provides larger partials to combine properties [00:20:48] together for some major projects. [00:20:51] It might actually surprise you how easy it might be. [00:20:56] It's easy to, if you've got a lot of empty space, so to speak, sometimes it's easy to [00:21:02] do something there, then you've got, you know, infill pieces, it might be more difficult [00:21:09] to infill. [00:21:10] I guess my thought is that that might. [00:21:11] It's going to take a while. [00:21:12] I'm just saying that. [00:21:13] Just not overnight. [00:21:14] Yeah, well, I'm saying that that might never turn green, you know, because. [00:21:17] I'm not willing to accept never, Mr. Morrow. [00:21:19] Okay. [00:21:20] Well, it's hard to make it go green, because as soon as you get someplace up and running [00:21:25] like we've done south on 19 with the school and the university, and, you know, and now [00:21:31] we're working, just continue working south, that new, what's it, glass place, you know, [00:21:36] it just seems like it's looking really nice there, but, you know, as soon as we've finished [00:21:40] it, there's just seems like a never ending, it'll always be yellow, in my opinion. [00:21:44] And the point that you're making is really reinforcing the importance of making strategic [00:21:52] moves with our investment, and I think that we have. [00:22:02] In the CRA, and that's why this tool is just so important to us, and that's why we started [00:22:09] at Main and 19, and that's why the Magnuson project is so important to us, and that's [00:22:16] why if we go to the Riverside Inn, also strategic location, because those have the largest impact [00:22:32] on us and will really position us in a better place to be able to finance and be as proactive [00:22:44] as what will be required to move those other things at a pace where we'll live long enough [00:22:53] to see green. [00:22:55] Has Publix knocked on our door yet? [00:22:59] Publix? [00:23:00] Yeah. [00:23:01] What do you mean knocked on our door? [00:23:02] Well, most Publix, I know, don't look like ours anymore. [00:23:06] They're all being renovated, and that closes it down for a year. [00:23:10] You know, most of them, anywhere you go, it seems like they've already been renovated [00:23:15] or they're being renovated, like the one up in Spring Hill on 19 has been closed for... [00:23:21] We do maintain a good relationship with Publix, as well as the property manager. [00:23:28] They are in a long-term lease. [00:23:31] Yeah, they're not going, but the remodel, I'm just saying that's going to... [00:23:34] Right. [00:23:35] That closed, the one up in Spring Hill has closed it for almost a year now. [00:23:39] I do know their sales are strong... [00:23:41] Yeah. [00:23:42] ...at our, at the New Port Richey location, and that they enjoy a good relationship with [00:23:49] the property owner. [00:23:52] Yeah, I don't expect them to go anywhere. [00:23:54] I mean, they have nuisance-related behaviors that they're concerned about that occur in [00:24:02] the plaza in general. [00:24:05] That's the only complaint I'm aware of, and that's one of the reasons that I believe this [00:24:11] council has advanced a position that they're willing to play a role in the redevelopment [00:24:17] of the neighborhood adjacent to the property, because it does have a negative economic impact [00:24:28] and serves as an impediment to our largest taxpayer, no question. [00:24:34] Well, I mean, plus the place on the north corner hasn't been filled for years... [00:24:38] Right. [00:24:39] Absolutely. [00:24:40] ...just because of its neighbor. [00:24:41] No, I just wonder, because every time I turn around at Publix, it looks like ours is being [00:24:46] renovated. [00:24:48] The next time I talk to the property manager, I'll inquire, though. [00:24:56] It's going to make a change to something. [00:25:00] It's a year's a long time for a renovation. [00:25:03] Oh, it sure is. [00:25:06] Let me jot that down. [00:25:11] Moving on to page 11, there's interest in continuing to fund incentives that promote [00:25:19] stewardship of properties located on US Highway 19 and entering into an interlocal agreement [00:25:30] with the county for their jurisdictional properties that are located on US Highway [00:25:36] 19 that are in substandard condition and warrant address for ordinance-related deficiencies. [00:25:45] The only reason I'm suggesting that is due to the fact that the properties on 19, whether [00:25:54] they're in the county or in the city, they reflect on us. [00:25:58] Ms. Whitman. [00:25:59] And there are a number of properties on US Highway 19 which are considered to be within [00:26:07] our boundaries that are actually county property. [00:26:11] And for whatever reasons, and maybe it's just something as simple as geography, or it could [00:26:18] be what we believe and are told is the case, that they have such a high call for ordinance-related [00:26:30] matters and they just don't have enough staff to be proactive that some of these matters [00:26:39] just don't get looked at on a regular basis. [00:26:43] But the conditions are poor. [00:26:46] ABC Warehouse, former property on US Highway 19, is probably one of the most significant [00:26:54] examples of neglect. [00:26:58] And there aren't many people that drive by that know that is county property, not city [00:27:04] property. [00:27:05] But when they look at it and they see the graffiti, the overgrown plant materials, the [00:27:10] debris, it's a reflection on us. [00:27:13] Now the county administrator, former county administrator, has agreed to sign an inter-local [00:27:22] agreement which would allow the city to enforce our ordinance on their property. [00:27:33] I do have to have an updated conversation with the new county administrator to see if [00:27:38] that's acceptable to him as well, but we're out there all the time. [00:27:43] So it would make some sense to allow us the opportunity to address those matters as well. [00:27:49] That's what led Van Dorn and... [00:27:53] What's the other one? [00:27:55] Van Dorn and... [00:27:56] What's the other street? [00:27:58] Offgate there. [00:28:00] Oh, I don't know. [00:28:02] You know, you said Van Dorn and... [00:28:05] Leisureland? [00:28:06] Van Dorn and Leisure. [00:28:07] Van Dorn and Leisure. [00:28:08] That's what led that to kick the situation since then because the county never took a [00:28:12] look at it. [00:28:15] So I think you're spot on there, city manager, in that, you know, New Port Richey is an area [00:28:27] known to residents and visitors, a lot larger area than the city of New Port Richey. [00:28:33] And, you know, a lot of times when I speak to people I try to indicate the city of New Port Richey [00:28:39] and those of those who do not live in the city and don't necessarily understand and [00:28:47] or appreciate the differences, people, visitors, they sense it, but they don't always see it. [00:28:52] So I think it's wise for us to take a lead position with the county in those matters [00:29:03] and efforts to bring some substandard properties and businesses, particularly that are in the [00:29:10] areas that you mentioned and adjacent to the city, to help bring those up and show them [00:29:16] to find ways that we can help in making that happen. [00:29:21] Because it will, in turn, it indirectly affects us and reflects on us. [00:29:29] So I like the idea of this, to work ways, to work with the county to help. [00:29:35] I know that there's been discussions from the county level for years about the redevelopment [00:29:41] of the west side, the U.S. 19 corridor, and this goes back 12, 15 years that that initially [00:29:53] program started. [00:29:56] And maybe [00:30:00] Not a whole lot has been done, and it's hard. [00:30:03] And I know the county's attention has been diverted to really hot spots, [00:30:08] the 54 corridor, the central and east part. [00:30:12] But I think that there is some interest in the county commission [00:30:20] to continue to work towards the US-19 corridor improvements in this west side. [00:30:26] And I think we should try to partner with them in ways to work with that. [00:30:36] The other two action items that the staff is recommending that you consider [00:30:42] is that we update our landscape and tree replacement ordinances. [00:30:47] And lastly, we want to develop a plan for [00:30:50] the redevelopment of the marine district. [00:30:53] We are suggesting the marine district for a couple of different reasons. [00:31:00] And one of them is the fact that [00:31:07] the HCA property is nearly closed on. [00:31:11] It's 45, 60 days away before it will be owned by a developer [00:31:17] that is planning to invest between the purchase of the property and [00:31:21] the construction, likely $150 million in a largely residential, [00:31:31] with some limited commercial presence, project on the 20, 21 acres that exist there. [00:31:42] And that property's been vacant for over 10 years, largely vacant, [00:31:49] with the exception of the Behavioral Health Center. [00:31:53] And when HCA left that property, [00:31:56] they really devastated that section of the city in many ways. [00:32:02] And there's been a real fear of reinvestment in that portion of the city since that time. [00:32:08] And it seems to have become more significant as years go by. [00:32:15] And because doctors left their offices, [00:32:19] workers left their place of employment or their former place of employment. [00:32:26] And there's been no adaptive reuses for the office buildings. [00:32:33] Many of the residential properties have really diminished. [00:32:39] I think with the fact that we're likely going to enter into an agreement for [00:32:45] Schwetman, and the fact that HCA is gonna be developed, and [00:32:50] that could be the impetus for the redevelopment of that whole area. [00:32:54] It's time for us to get our hands dirty, build some programs, and [00:32:58] really help that neighborhood not only survive, but rise to the surface. [00:33:04] And be a model for what can happen in other areas of the city. [00:33:08] And I think it's worth spending some money and [00:33:13] coming up with programs that are gonna help people stabilize that neighborhood. [00:33:17] I think the dressing up of the Marine Parkway. [00:33:20] That'll help too. [00:33:21] I mean, I think it's done it. [00:33:23] I mean, that helped me sell the property if I was looking to buy it. [00:33:28] And you're absolutely correct. [00:33:29] And one thing to add in there is the rebuild of Gulf High School. [00:33:35] Absolutely. [00:33:36] It's gonna be an outstanding example of education here in Pasco County. [00:33:43] And I think that ties in well with that area. [00:33:51] That's gonna be coming on here this year, right, or in 24? [00:33:54] And so I think you're absolutely correct. [00:33:59] That's critical. [00:34:02] And we talked about the HCA leaving. [00:34:05] I think there's also room in here, and [00:34:09] then they've been great partners with us to this point, is the daycare people. [00:34:16] And I think we need to maybe reach out to them, see what their plans are. [00:34:23] I think with added, we see gradual population increase. [00:34:29] You talk about a large residential project there. [00:34:33] There's continued people moving the area, [00:34:36] the demands for medical services continue to go up. [00:34:39] I know, I was there this afternoon trying to find a parking place. [00:34:44] I know they've got some parking issues over there and they're looking to address. [00:34:51] So that's another- [00:34:53] Hospital? [00:34:54] Yeah, that's what I'm saying. [00:34:55] So I'm saying those folks to reach out to them to see [00:35:00] where we might help them help themselves, cuz in turn it'll help the city, I believe. [00:35:06] Dale and I have had some recent conversations with them, and [00:35:11] we've made suggestions that they consider establishing a parking structure, [00:35:17] because they are taking up a lot of surface parking. [00:35:22] And they are talking about potentially [00:35:27] building an addition to the hospital. [00:35:30] And they reported to us that that would be the time that they would consider doing [00:35:34] something like that. [00:35:36] Dale also made a couple of suggestions to them on some things that they could do. [00:35:41] Was it on Indiana? [00:35:42] Parking along that street, some realigned number. [00:35:47] Yeah, that would make some improvements and [00:35:50] maybe slow some things down on Indiana as well. [00:35:53] That I think they had a good ear for. [00:35:59] But we're mindful of that and even tucking their drainage underneath, [00:36:05] which would make them take up even less space. [00:36:08] So we're talking to them and we'll continue to do so. [00:36:12] Another area when you're talking about annexing, if you're going down Madison and [00:36:17] you get past Gulf High, you get past the city. [00:36:20] From 1st Street down to 6th Street on the east side is in the city, but [00:36:26] on the west side it's not. [00:36:27] And then there's also some parcels down Grand Boulevard that are in the city and [00:36:32] some that aren't. [00:36:33] I didn't know if Gulf High's in the city, then right south of it, [00:36:38] between Madison and Grand, that's not in the city. [00:36:42] So, and it's all those houses were built at the same time as the ones on the east [00:36:46] side, the 1st through 6th. [00:36:49] So look at that one, too. [00:36:50] Yeah, because that would coordinate with the whole building up there. [00:36:57] See a partial on the- [00:36:59] At Grand Boulevard between what? [00:37:02] South Cecilia. [00:37:03] Oh, south. [00:37:05] But that would coordinate with- [00:37:07] Oh, yeah, yeah. [00:37:08] Coordinate with, you're doing the OHCA property, that'd be just further south. [00:37:12] Right. [00:37:13] And then you've already got some of it south there on the east side of [00:37:18] Madison. [00:37:21] All right, and do you have something? [00:37:23] Yeah, also just kind of going back to the community hospital development, [00:37:27] that area there, and I think we touched on it, but I'm assuming they're going to be [00:37:30] building like a pocket park or something in that development. [00:37:35] I think we talked about it, but it might be a good chance to get in there and [00:37:38] say, hey, let's work together on that. [00:37:42] Maybe they can have part of the land donated or something for it. [00:37:46] I think we even talked about putting more and more pickleball courts in that area. [00:37:50] At this point, they do not have plans for a pocket park, [00:37:56] but they do have pickleball courts included as one of the amenities [00:38:03] for the park. [00:38:03] But I know Dale will be all over them to make sure that they have the appropriate [00:38:07] number of amenities programmed into the project, [00:38:14] because they will have to comply with our multifamily ordinance, [00:38:18] which will require a good number of them. [00:38:21] I don't recall the number, but I know Dale did a good job on the ordinance. [00:38:28] I don't think they would want a pocket park, [00:38:32] because they sort of have it structured as a gated community at this time, [00:38:37] at least from the design drawings I've seen. [00:38:45] I'm happy to do it. [00:38:47] I'm sorry? [00:38:48] How many units? [00:38:51] There are different types of housing contained in the development, [00:38:57] and I don't recall specifically how many of each type, [00:39:02] but I can report to you on it. [00:39:03] Not a different type, just a ballpark. [00:39:07] I can't ballpark, because I'll- [00:39:08] I mean, I'm just saying I don't need to break down that far, [00:39:11] just like how many people, how many family units are going to be there. [00:39:17] I'll report to you with an accurate number. [00:39:20] $100 million worth, how about that? [00:39:22] $100 million worth, right? [00:39:26] I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'll be off, so I'd rather report to you with the fact. [00:39:31] I know that by heart, but I don't know the number yet by heart. [00:39:37] What do we have over there close by, as far as recreation or anything? [00:39:41] There's not much over that area. [00:39:43] Robert, help me out. [00:39:46] Recreation for that area. [00:39:49] Dog park on C. [00:39:53] Community hospital development. [00:39:57] Right left end over there. [00:39:58] Right. [00:40:03] That's a little ways away, yeah. [00:40:07] I think we really ought to look at that and talk to them about that, [00:40:09] because there's really nothing over there. [00:40:11] Something small. [00:40:13] I imagine there's going to be some kids over there. [00:40:16] Let's consider what's the reuse of fire station number two. [00:40:26] Is that- [00:40:29] Probably not close enough. [00:40:31] Yeah, that's not close enough. [00:40:33] OK. [00:40:34] You get the multi-use trail that's going to be hidden down there, [00:40:37] which should tie into that, right? [00:40:39] Multi-path trail. [00:40:40] Caddy corner from Leaning Tower. [00:40:47] That retention area? [00:40:51] No, but we'll look at it. [00:40:53] I mean, it's something to talk about now before everything's final, [00:40:57] but I don't know, it just seems like we could use something over there. [00:41:02] For public use? [00:41:04] Yeah, because you have a whole marine parkway. [00:41:07] Public, private, whatever they want to do it. [00:41:12] Let me look at the plan again. [00:41:16] We'll see if we have any, how much property we have that we [00:41:19] might access the fire station. [00:41:22] We don't have any property. [00:41:23] We've completely built out our property for sure. [00:41:27] But we have built out our property. [00:41:34] Yeah, I'm just, I didn't know. [00:41:37] It's under construction. [00:41:38] I think another look at their, what kind of amenities [00:41:41] they're planning on that development. [00:41:44] Of course, that may be private to those residents. [00:41:46] I understand that, but I think- [00:41:50] Well, I'm sorry, I can't share the plans because I don't have a copy yet. [00:41:55] And the developer has asked that it remain confidential at this time. [00:41:59] Sure, yeah. [00:42:02] Or I would just share it with you, okay? [00:42:07] I was happy to see that you've got listed there, [00:42:09] action items, update landscape and tree ordinances. [00:42:12] And you've got that under increased taxable value for commercial properties. [00:42:18] It's 11, right there, 11. [00:42:21] You're flipping pages, that's why I asked. [00:42:22] Yeah, because I'm flipping, I'm going to go flip back for a point, right? [00:42:25] So that's under the objectives, increased taxable value for commercial properties. [00:42:30] And you also have in there adopt design guidelines for [00:42:33] commercial properties in the downtown area. [00:42:36] So I think there's room for [00:42:45] us to start thinking about, real seriously, about residential areas. [00:42:52] Same way for landscape and redevelopment guidelines. [00:43:07] It's fresh on our minds from yesterday evening's meeting, [00:43:14] in which the developer was looking for a special exception. [00:43:22] And I think that if we could set some guidelines out in what our expectations [00:43:30] are for even in some of our residential areas, that we would be doing a service [00:43:38] for those developers coming in wanting to do projects. [00:43:42] And we can have some guidelines lined up for them as what our expectations might be. [00:43:48] And because I think those type developments will be coming. [00:43:54] And I think there's a need for them. [00:43:57] But we need to help guide those in the right way, [00:44:02] in the right areas, so that that can happen. [00:44:05] So. [00:44:06] With that being said, would it be acceptable to you if I added it on page [00:44:10] nine under increased taxable value of residential properties? [00:44:14] That's where it would be along, I would think. [00:44:15] Okay. [00:44:23] We're okay, we'll move on to 12 then. [00:44:26] Where the objective is to improve the image of the city. [00:44:31] And we talk about it in terms of both cultivating a community ownership and [00:44:36] delivering high quality services. [00:44:39] All of the goals are carried over from previous, from the previous year. [00:44:45] And I believe they are all in ongoing. [00:44:51] The action items of particular note are. [00:45:00] Related to cultivating community ownership, we are recommending that we establish a neighborhood [00:45:06] beautification and awards program. [00:45:10] And the only item that isn't active at this time related to delivering high-quality municipal [00:45:22] services is we did not conduct a transport feasibility study for ALS service last year [00:45:31] as we had originally intended to. [00:45:35] And that was based on the fact that we definitively found out that we needed the authority from [00:45:47] Pasco County to provide ALS service and we received a confirmation from Pasco County [00:45:57] that they would not grant us the necessary licenses to provide ALS service. [00:46:06] Are there any comments or additions to any of the goals or action items? [00:46:23] Cultivate community ownership, I've been in the towns where they, when a business comes [00:46:29] from the city, take some kind of plaque or something, or something they can put in their [00:46:36] window and kind of welcome the new business, is that a point of cultivating community ownership? [00:46:44] I think it is. [00:46:45] Is that our logo? [00:46:46] Is his name put on it? [00:47:05] Accept it here or we can, you know, send staff over there, maybe a council member. [00:47:15] Yeah. [00:47:21] In a community ownership, and talk about established neighborhood beautification awards program [00:47:30] and so forth, I know there's a community not too far from here has a program where individuals [00:47:37] and or businesses can adopt some city owned property in which they can, you know, plant flowers [00:47:47] or so forth and take pride in beautifying different plots that the city would identify. [00:47:56] Well, yeah, but, you know, there might be some area to explore. [00:48:04] Yeah, that's a good thought. [00:48:05] And that's, you know, yeah, I don't know a lot of details. [00:48:12] But it might be youth programs at the high school or middle school that would be interested in doing that too. [00:48:39] On the enhanced quality of place, we've got to develop public arts master plan. [00:48:50] Oh, yeah, Mike, I'm sorry. [00:48:52] On 13, I'm sorry, have I jumped ahead of you? [00:48:55] No, no. [00:48:56] I was trying to stay with you there. [00:48:59] Okay, yeah. [00:49:03] I noticed part of the program for CRA meeting in Jacksonville later in the fall, there's a program there for public art [00:49:13] and establishing how to bring public art into the community. [00:49:17] Yes. [00:49:18] So I don't know if anybody is planning on attending. [00:49:21] But I think we have room for that. [00:49:23] Yeah. [00:49:24] And within the city, it's one of those things that seems to be, you start thinking about it, we're missing it, you know. [00:49:32] We are indeed. [00:49:33] So I'd be, I'd see us to put some effort towards that. [00:49:40] Great. [00:49:41] The other goals under enhancing quality of place are to foster the revitalization and preservation of older areas of the city [00:49:54] and to develop and redevelop new areas, amenities, and services. [00:49:59] And I think we should have indicated as a goal, Judy, we talked about this, and it may not have been a reference to the strategic plan, [00:50:12] it's activate the historic preservation board. [00:50:18] I talked about it. [00:50:22] Did we put it in the plan or were we talking about it in reference to something else? [00:50:25] We were. [00:50:26] Let's put it under an action item. [00:50:28] I think Pete referenced it last night at some point, more of his comments. [00:50:33] OK. [00:50:35] Yeah. [00:50:38] I guess it was in existence. [00:50:40] Well, it still is. [00:50:42] Yeah, I mean, it was brought about in existence, but then. [00:50:44] But we haven't met in some time, and there's a couple other steps left before they can designate. [00:50:51] I'm not sure there's even people on it. [00:50:54] There are people on it. [00:50:56] There are also people that are no longer able to serve. [00:51:02] They're historical. [00:51:04] Yes. [00:51:09] They'd be part of, like, the state has a historical preservation board. [00:51:14] They do. [00:51:15] But if we actually are trying to get our board qualified to designate historic properties [00:51:25] without having to go through the state process. [00:51:29] Would it partner with the historical society? [00:51:36] I'm sorry. [00:51:38] I could be getting old. [00:51:40] Would it partner with the historical society? [00:51:43] No, not necessarily. [00:51:46] But I believe we have a member of the historic society on the board, if I remember right. [00:51:52] No. [00:51:57] Don't we already have allocated some funds for the skate park improvement? [00:52:06] We did, and they made some minimal improvements. [00:52:12] More definitely needs to be done at the skate park. [00:52:19] And, in fact, when we get to our capital project, I believe Robert may have it with him. [00:52:30] I'm certain that we are recommending some additional funding to support more improvements at the skate park. [00:52:40] Right? [00:52:41] Okay. [00:52:46] And from what we're told, it is a facility that enjoys good use. [00:52:55] I just toured one recently here in another municipality. [00:53:00] I've got some pictures I'll share with you that did an outstanding job. [00:53:08] Do we have a way to count folks going in and out of the James E. Gray Preserve? [00:53:21] No, we do not currently. [00:53:23] It would be interesting to, you know, it surprises me sometimes when I'm out there just how many folks are there, [00:53:30] but I'd like to maybe, it would be nice to have some kind of feedback just how much is being utilized. [00:53:36] We do not have a current method. [00:53:39] We could do a count. [00:53:43] Well, we'll leave that to the parks and rec people to see if that makes sense. [00:53:52] Yeah, yeah. [00:54:01] All right, moving on to page 14, if that's okay with you. [00:54:08] We will talk about strengthening some relationships. [00:54:16] And we're going to evaluate objectives with our current partnerships [00:54:25] and determine future direction and appropriate steps, always ongoing. [00:54:30] Build and maintain relationships with key partners and expand relationships with the business community, all ongoing. [00:54:39] And we've indicated in the action items all of the ongoing meetings that occur between staff and external agencies. [00:54:59] And we've added in yellow the two groups that we don't meet with regularly, that we'd like to start meeting with regularly, [00:55:11] and that's the New Port Richey Main Street Program and the Ritchie Suncoast Theater. [00:55:20] And if there are any comments, I'll move on to communicate effectively, [00:55:27] and the goals are to expand our use of digital media [00:55:31] and to ensure that city communication platforms are easily accessible and user-friendly. [00:55:40] As a report to you on action items, we are using more electronic social media and video content, [00:55:48] and we are working very hard to ensure that city sites are mobile-friendly. [00:55:58] We are working on a project to update our website and maintain it regularly. [00:56:04] That's something that isn't being done. [00:56:07] We are redesigning our website presence and consolidating the existing and developing new functionality. [00:56:17] Robert Green has put together a proposal for a new website that I think you'll be very pleased with when we make a presentation of it. [00:56:29] We will be implementing a marketing and public relations master plan and expanding our GIS capabilities. [00:56:47] We will also attempt to upgrade our digital signage as funding becomes available, [00:56:53] and we would also like to expand online budgeting capacities in regards to gaining public input [00:56:59] and providing transparency into what we're doing with budgeting also as funding becomes available. [00:57:07] Possibility we should look at maybe a billboard out on 54. [00:57:12] For budgeting? [00:57:14] For informing the citizens where we are and what we're doing. [00:57:19] I'm not saying this is the exact spot. [00:57:21] No, we definitely could use billboards for marketing purposes, yes. [00:57:27] Just what's going on out there. [00:57:29] The one at Rowan is pretty inexpensive, too. [00:57:34] Rowan and 54. [00:57:36] I used to say when you go out 54 every time you went there was a new light. [00:57:42] Now you go out there and there's a new apartment complex. [00:57:49] Get them down the street. [00:57:51] Probably work at Pinellas or Pasco. [00:57:53] Pinellas or Hillsboro. [00:57:55] So get them to come on the rest of the way into New Port Richey. [00:58:03] I'm happy to say we keep emphasis on our electronic social media online presence. [00:58:11] I think we have a lot of opportunity there. [00:58:15] We do indeed. [00:58:23] Our next objective is to enhance and continue our community-oriented police program. [00:58:31] The goals set forth are to promote a community-engaged policing culture, [00:58:41] to partner with external agencies as force multipliers [00:58:48] so that we can compel timely compliance with ordinances and laws. [00:58:56] We will continue our anti-prostitution strategies, and those are all fully engaged. [00:59:05] We want to continue to promote our outreach assistance to individuals struggling with drug addiction issues [00:59:12] and providing transient outreach initiatives. [00:59:16] Those are fairly new and related to Chief Cochin's assembly and activation of his lift team. [00:59:27] We want to increase police presence in downtown and in Sims Park during peak activities, [00:59:35] promote a see-something, say-something culture through the community, [00:59:42] and collaborate with provider agencies to provide the necessary services that we need [00:59:49] to either provide to our transient population [01:00:00] or at least to be able to let them, advise them of the existence. [01:00:04] He talked about homeless underneath the bridge by his house. [01:00:09] At the Sorenson Overlook? No, no, no, no, on, on Madison. [01:00:14] Bridge on Madison. Oh, okay. [01:00:16] Underneath that bridge. Mm-hm. [01:00:19] I, I just ask if Pete's maybe talked to you about it. [01:00:21] I mean, he would see it. [01:00:22] I, I didn't get a chance to talk to him today. [01:00:24] No, I mean, it's just something. And I called him. [01:00:26] You know, one of the other neighbors here mentioned to me, [01:00:28] and I said, I just expected if there was going on, [01:00:31] maybe Pete had said something to one of you there. [01:00:33] Not yet. In the other line, I thought he was. [01:00:35] Is he still on? He, he checked out. [01:00:37] Oh. I didn't hear him come back on. [01:00:40] Well, I'm just saying. Might have had a, a bit of a bad connection. [01:00:43] Some of those neighbors think there's homeless staying underneath that bridge. [01:00:45] And didn't we put a fence up under the Main Street bridge so they couldn't. [01:00:48] We do have a fence there, yes. Yeah, so maybe, you know, [01:00:50] let's look and see if it is, and maybe the fence would be open. [01:00:53] Let, let, I was there just Sunday, and it wasn't cut or anything, so. [01:00:57] No, no, no, not, no, we put the Main Street fence up so, so they couldn't stay there. [01:01:02] Let's see if, because the neighbors tell me that sometimes [01:01:04] they're staying underneath the Madison Street bridge. [01:01:07] Yeah, Robert. Start taking a look at it. [01:01:08] Bob will check. [01:01:10] Robert, I mean, if the, if the people are staying there, [01:01:12] maybe it's appropriate for a fence there, too. [01:01:18] We will take a look. [01:01:20] So the action items, maintain downtown and Sims Park, [01:01:24] Beat Patrol, our anti-prostitution and drug enforcement efforts are ongoing. [01:01:37] We want to improve or collaborate more with homeowners to establish watch groups. [01:01:47] We still have the goal of hiring a social worker to work with the police department. [01:01:53] We want to utilize the lift improvement facilitation team to continue to implement their proactive [01:02:01] approach to mental health and drug addiction issues, and also to offer services to mental [01:02:10] health and drug addiction suffering individuals. [01:02:16] The next objective relates to investing in infrastructure. [01:02:30] The ongoing goals relate to performing needs assessments, prioritizing plans for investment, [01:02:39] addressing deficiencies in alleys, sidewalks, and streets, continuing to create an approach [01:02:48] to assess development impacts on existing infrastructure, and considering the relocation [01:02:54] of overhead utilities to underground when it's feasible, continuing to move forward [01:03:00] on replacement of facility improvements, and the new goals we've added this year for your [01:03:06] consideration are to increase the opportunities for multimodal transportation and upgrade [01:03:14] the utility with innovative smart technology. [01:03:21] Just because you mentioned it, utilities, they've been doing a lot of work redoing the [01:03:28] overhead and some underground power lines, and like just an example, on my street they've [01:03:33] done a lot of work, they've put on all new poles, but all the old poles are still there [01:03:38] with the phone wires, cable, whatever, so we're working, making sure that they're taking [01:03:45] care of that. [01:03:46] What street are you taking care of? [01:03:48] Riverview. [01:03:48] Riverview. [01:03:49] But I mean, it's all over, I just- [01:03:50] I know, we'll find out what the status of it is. [01:03:53] They are supposed to follow up, and you've got to start, there's a time limit. [01:04:02] Okay. [01:04:07] Okay. [01:04:08] It almost seems like some of the cable suppliers, some of the telephone folks are slow moving [01:04:16] their structures over, and it's almost like they want to wait until it's all done, then [01:04:21] come in and do it. [01:04:22] I don't know what the plan is, but it is dragging out, yeah. [01:04:28] In terms of, okay, in terms of action items, ongoing, employing a proactive approach to [01:04:37] upgrades in water, stormwater, and sewer systems, seeking grants is something we continue to [01:04:45] do to invest in parks and public lands, continue to complete sidewalk and alley portions of [01:04:53] improvement plan is always ongoing, pursuing state resources to implement septic to sewer [01:05:01] conversions, and completing the construction of fire station number two and the fleet purchasing [01:05:07] warehouse in progress now. [01:05:09] We have completed the library improvement project. [01:05:13] We are currently working on completing the utility master plan, renewal of the waste [01:05:21] water treatment plan operating permit, and completing the fire station number one hardening [01:05:28] project. [01:05:29] We would like to add in action items, completing an impact fee analysis study, completing the [01:05:38] meter change out program, implementing the East Grand Neighborhood sidewalk infill improvements, [01:05:47] updating the sidewalk deficiency analysis, and completing the Grand Boulevard bridge [01:05:52] replacement project. [01:05:54] Where are we at with that, the bridge replacement project? [01:05:58] It really is a county-driven project, and I think they're in very preliminary design, [01:06:07] but Robert, correct me if I misspeak. [01:06:16] Right, they've just completed survey work as I understand it, so it's very preliminary. [01:06:26] Well, I guess my concern is, I guess my concern is that, you know, how long are they dragging [01:06:31] this out? [01:06:32] Because, you know, we, you know, we have a number that has been, you know, signed or [01:06:37] whatever that we're supposed to help them with. [01:06:38] Is that going to go up now? [01:06:41] Yeah. [01:06:42] Go ahead, Robert. [01:06:43] I'm sorry. [01:06:47] N. [01:06:49] Right. [01:06:50] They were a million. [01:06:57] A group. [01:06:58] We're looking at, hopefully, at all of the design. [01:07:15] That is really, if we're going to end up with Swetman, that's going to put a real [01:07:19] damper on trying to promote something to go to Swetman. [01:07:22] They're going to spend, we got two or three years down the road before that bridge is [01:07:25] done. [01:07:27] I truly believe we'll be way out of the gate before they start our, start the bridge [01:07:32] project. [01:07:42] Any other questions on the infrastructure portion? [01:07:51] We can skip page 18 if you want. [01:07:53] Nice. [01:07:54] We've got a lot on my page. [01:07:58] 19, environmental stewardship. [01:07:59] So, just pause for just a second. [01:08:03] Just because I got way late. [01:08:05] So, we have here listed, let me read it again. [01:08:13] And, continue to complete sidewalks, alley portions of improvement plans. [01:08:23] So, I think, ask me if we're wrong here. [01:08:30] If we need to really put in as a goal and or an action plan is to work into an alley, [01:08:40] set a framework for an alley master plan. [01:08:43] How, where are we going to go? [01:08:45] So, we've got to spell this out in some kind of an idea of a time frame and how we [01:08:51] would progress. [01:08:52] And, just, I think we need to have a little study or workshop put in motion. [01:08:57] I don't think that's something that we're going to decide on in one meeting or two [01:09:01] meetings. [01:09:02] I think it's going to take a lot of input and a lot of thought. [01:09:07] And, it's not going to be an overnight prize. [01:09:09] It's going to be a multi-year project in my vision, I think, to get. [01:09:17] We've got to have a plan. [01:09:18] We've got to have a road map. [01:09:20] I think we need to start working on the road map. [01:09:24] I know we want to continue to make improvements, but. [01:09:26] I want to say develop an alley improvement program. [01:09:33] Alley redevelopment program. [01:09:35] Yeah, that's fine. [01:09:36] Something like that. [01:09:36] Redevelopment might scare people. [01:09:38] I don't know. [01:09:39] What do you think, Bob? [01:09:40] I don't want to scare anybody, but, yeah. [01:09:43] I don't think it's scary. [01:09:50] That's a good way to do it, Robert. [01:09:52] And, we've got to do. [01:09:53] And, we've done some evaluations already. [01:09:55] I think you did an alley evaluation plan. [01:09:57] We start with that. [01:09:58] The existing conditions. [01:09:59] Yeah, so. [01:10:01] I like that idea. [01:10:02] And, then we'll take alleys out of continue to address deficiencies. [01:10:07] Okay. [01:10:13] Anything else, Councilman? [01:10:18] All right, I'm holding firm to skipping 18. [01:10:22] I've got pictures on mine. [01:10:24] I'm drawing pictures. [01:10:25] All right, 19. [01:10:26] The staff didn't feel comfortable coloring any of the goals for some reason, just because [01:10:42] they're so big. [01:10:50] Support transportation options that reduce emissions and resource consumption. [01:10:56] Provide city facilities that promote the health of employees and patrons and reduce resource [01:11:01] consumption. [01:11:03] Establish carbon reduction goals and integrate them into the appropriate city plans. [01:11:09] Continue to improve the collection rate of recycling materials. [01:11:14] Improve compost program for the city. [01:11:17] Those are our goals. [01:11:18] Our action items are sustainability-minded projects such as the solar-powered LED crosswalk [01:11:30] systems, the EV stations at select locations throughout the city, the LED conversion of [01:11:38] street lights, and the installation of solar panels at the library. [01:11:44] We will continue to add EVs and hybrids to the city fleet. [01:11:51] That should be yellow. [01:11:55] Research carbon reduction measures. [01:11:58] Assess the feasibility and cost of offsetting electricity with renewable resources. [01:12:06] Identify and implement water conservation strategies within city buildings and operations. [01:12:13] Consider the establishment of a single waste hauler program and expand the adopt a tree [01:12:19] program. [01:12:20] Can anyone think of anything to add? [01:12:27] So these, you're right, these are big items. [01:12:30] And I see a big omission. [01:12:32] What is it? [01:12:34] We don't talk, we're talking about environmental stewardship and we don't have anything [01:12:38] listed in there that I see about the river. [01:12:41] About what? [01:12:41] I'm sorry. [01:12:42] The river. [01:12:42] The river, nothing about the river. [01:12:43] Okay, good thought. [01:12:45] And I know that's a big, big item and we don't have total control of the river. [01:12:51] If we have folks that affect the health of the river, both to our west and north, as [01:13:02] well as our east and south. [01:13:03] But I, you know. [01:13:07] To diffuse. [01:13:09] What's that? [01:13:09] I'm just trying to come up with something. [01:13:11] Yeah, so, yeah. [01:13:13] To diffuse and say that we can continue stormwater. [01:13:22] So I think we do that there and I think also, I think we need to, [01:13:32] I mean, I think that's the number one thing that we can have an effect upon, right? [01:13:37] And I think we need to also work in that plan somehow to look beyond our borders [01:13:45] and our neighbors and how they affect it because that water flows back and forth [01:13:50] and we need to try to encourage them to get on board similar activities [01:13:57] because it has, it will have an effect, it flows. [01:14:01] Like a river management program? [01:14:03] Almost like that, yeah. [01:14:06] So, [01:14:25] Go back and forth, outside of [01:14:29] it, how that affects the environment. [01:14:31] We know there's some basins that flow from outside the city, through the city, to the river. [01:14:38] And, you know, and we, and we're the last ones to catch it, to be able to do something with it, [01:14:46] right? And maybe we need, if it's coming from those basins, we need some help [01:14:51] from outside the city to do that. And because it is a, it's a, it's a [01:15:00] source not used strictly by city residents, but New Port Richey city [01:15:04] residents and county residents. So it is just, I still think it's [01:15:14] too important for us not to have an objective to maintain and improve [01:15:21] the quality of the water in the river. [01:15:24] I just, someone talked to me the other day about the silt. I stepped in the [01:15:30] river, I've sunk up on my knees and into silt, you know, that I don't know if [01:15:37] there's eventually some way that should be dredged or removed or not, but you [01:15:44] know, those are things we can, we need to start, we need to look at and start. [01:15:52] It's a big item, I get you, but we need to start somewhere, I think. [01:15:57] That's a great catch, thank you. What about a community education for the [01:16:00] people? I was just thinking that, to offer some educational programs. Yes, [01:16:04] for the people who live on the river. Well, even... Are they usual? [01:16:08] Children. We could definitely get some educational programs on the importance [01:16:15] of the water quality and the impact we have on it and... And I [01:16:19] think the people who live along the river will be on board right [01:16:22] away. Yeah, well, we can continue to educate, you know, we have [01:16:29] the placards, they've shown a little bit of wear and tear near the [01:16:33] drains where it says, hey, be careful what you pour in the air [01:16:35] and all that kind of stuff, and there's gonna be some general community [01:16:39] education about that. I'm sure there's some folks in the environmental committee [01:16:43] who can get all over that. It's also what they use on their [01:16:49] yards, they'd end up in the river too. Absolutely. Is dredging something that's [01:16:59] a no no for the river? Dredging? The reason why I say that, [01:17:03] because I know there's parts of the river, especially at low tide, [01:17:06] I mean, it's low, real low, even in the center. So [01:17:10] I'd like to know that. I'll tell you what, we need to identify [01:17:16] those. I had a conversation with Commissioner Mariano, I guess chairman, [01:17:22] right? And he is looking to get some assistance in dredging [01:17:30] some county areas and the city of New Port Richey areas, [01:17:34] and he specifically asked me to try to see if there was [01:17:37] some areas within the city that we need, [01:17:41] and he would welcome that information and perhaps could get work in the [01:17:46] overall project. If there's a way to identify those, [01:17:55] I've reached out to some folks and trying to get some feedback from [01:18:00] social media groups and so forth without too much success, [01:18:04] but yeah, that's... Yeah, we need to... I don't know how we'd best [01:18:09] identify that. I guess there's people riding through and with their sonars [01:18:18] on to check the depth, but it's low. With my prop here. Right. [01:18:23] Yeah. With your permission, we'll advance to page 21. [01:18:39] And we'll talk about cultivating human resources. [01:18:46] Our goals are to recruit and retain a workforce that is motivated to [01:18:51] exceed customer service expectations, to offer a competitive benefit package [01:18:56] that enhances employee recruitment and retention and incentives and wellness, [01:19:03] to consider the adoption of a performance based wage increase system, [01:19:07] which we have implemented, develop a workplace culture based on city values [01:19:13] that improves employee engagement and empowerment. We believe we've taken [01:19:18] steps in that regard, empower employees to solve problems and optimize their [01:19:25] function and develop mandatory employee training programs, including training [01:19:31] on city values and programs and core competencies, [01:19:36] providing appropriate equipment and technologies to ensure efficiency and [01:19:41] customer driven service standards. And those are things we still need to [01:19:46] work on before we feel comfortable assigning a color. The action items [01:19:54] that are associated with those goals are to evaluate city policy to meet the [01:20:00] needs of a changing workforce, to continue the following working groups. [01:20:05] We have a labor management coalition, a wellness committee, a safety committee, [01:20:11] and a diversity and inclusion committee. We need to publish the employee [01:20:17] newsletter on a quarterly basis, which we're not doing. We need to align the [01:20:22] employee evaluation system with organizational priorities and practices. [01:20:28] We need to develop a formal training program for city employees. We need to [01:20:33] investigate the possibility of establishing an apprenticeship program [01:20:37] for some of our harder to fill positions. We want to establish a recurring [01:20:43] schedule, or we have already established a recurring schedule of review of the [01:20:49] classification and comp plan for all city employees. We are in process of what [01:20:58] we consider to be communicating regularly with employees and providing [01:21:02] opportunities for both professional and personal growth. We acknowledge and [01:21:07] reward exceptional service and provide comprehensive benefits and support for [01:21:13] employees' well-being. We do have an employee suggestion and awards board [01:21:19] program, and we need to assess the positions in the city for appropriate [01:21:29] in-house training programs, and we want to develop some new programs. We want to [01:21:36] connect with school officials to determine possibilities of [01:21:41] establishing a link for students interested in internships or [01:21:45] apprenticeship programs, provide a lunch and learn series for our own [01:21:50] employees, and improve our employee anniversary program. If there isn't [01:21:58] anything further that you'd like to comment on, or if you have questions, I'm prepared to respond to them. [01:22:02] Are you trying to run off our new human resources person? I'm sorry? [01:22:07] I was going to say, are you trying to run off our new human resources person? [01:22:11] No, she is embracing it. That is great. She is. That is some tall work there, I'm telling you. [01:22:17] She's well suited for it. I mean, there's lots of meat on that bone. [01:22:24] I'm on page 23, if you're ready. Wait, I'd make a comment here, but [01:22:35] you know, we talk about the results of customer service, you know, and [01:22:41] cultivate professional workforce, so forth. I got to tell you that it's just [01:22:46] been my experience, just not in the last year, but over the last years, my [01:22:51] encounters with city employees, and these are people, they don't know who I am, [01:22:57] they don't know that I have any position or anything else. I find them, I've always [01:23:03] found them to be, I would say, professional friendly. I mean, they're [01:23:10] actually friendly, they're helpful, they have great attitude, and they [01:23:14] always are trying to help and understand, and I think that [01:23:21] comes actually from the department heads here, that that filters [01:23:28] down from them, and I just, you know, I just have to make that [01:23:33] comment, because it's something that I've noticed and haven't made a comment for [01:23:36] some time about it, but I really think we have a good workforce, and that [01:23:43] they're really trying to be helpful, and to the public, and I [01:23:53] think that's half the battle. Well, I, along with the department heads, [01:23:59] councilmen, really do appreciate that comment, so thank you very much for your [01:24:02] kind words. I tried, guys, I tried. No, they're not like that. Maintain a dynamic and [01:24:18] connected downtown area. The goals associated with that objective include [01:24:29] support growth and retention of businesses, offering services that [01:24:34] complement the existing business community, encourage activities in the [01:24:40] downtown area that create a sense of place, and offer a destination for [01:24:47] residents and visitors, maintain and enhance quality public space, and expand [01:24:53] public transportation opportunities. The action items associated with those [01:25:00] goals include tailoring city incentives to achieve maximum impact on growth [01:25:06] efforts, increasing awareness of opportunities to do business with the [01:25:11] city, which is ongoing, target incentives to catalyze business startup and growth, [01:25:20] promote a range of special events that highlight and celebrate the city, [01:25:24] cultural diversity, and outdoor recreation, evaluate and enhance the [01:25:30] quality of public space as appropriate, [01:25:37] and the Nebraska Avenue parking lot project, the implementation of a railroad [01:25:45] square project, establishing the golf cart crossings at US Highway 19, and [01:25:50] improving the efficiency of the downtown trolley route by considering the [01:25:55] addition of more stops at local businesses. I just need to ask a question since you brought up the parking lot on Nebraska there. That southernmost group of parking spaces, it's supposed to be compact cars, and it never is. [01:26:13] Right. I was wondering if those curbs could be moved closer to the sidewalk by [01:26:18] a foot, a foot and a half? People use that sidewalk as much as cars go down Missouri or whatever the road is. I've noticed that, but is it is it really an [01:26:36] issue? Well, some trucks park there, and they're like hanging out into the roadway. Well, I understand that, but when are we going to fix that alignment when we do the road? [01:26:58] My point being is that, yeah, that they're out there, and I don't know if we've [01:27:02] had any reported accidents, but it'll just slow people down. That's just a block-long area that should be going slow anyway for those parkings in and out. If there's something easy there, I just don't know that we'd spend a whole lot of money. [01:27:19] Well, there's a curb there. There's concrete curbs before the sidewalk. Concrete curbs are moved closer to the sidewalk. I mean the parking bumpers? Yeah. [01:27:35] Redwood Square project, it's in white, so does that mean we haven't done anything with it? Well, no, it should be yellow. Okay. Thank you. I hope so. It means we have some more work to do. At least we're doing something. [01:27:54] Advanced emerging technologies. We need to conduct a technology needs assessment and expand the city's technology strategy, create an information technology master plan, remain current with rapidly changing technologies. That should be yellow. [01:28:17] Modernize secure, accessible, and resilient IT infrastructure that supports service to staff and residents. Provide data analytics to support data-informed decision-making. And the action items to support those goals are as follows. Implement dedicated fiber network between city's facilities. Robert Green has well on his way for that. [01:28:47] Increasing cyber security training and process controls. Robert Green also is well ahead of the game on that. Elevate the customer service experience by providing quality tools with the expansion of city services. [01:29:04] We're moving forward with that. Enhance the customer's online experience through increased and improved tools. We are increasing the city's GIS capacity to support services. We plan to provide interactive maps on a good number of layers, but in particular we want to do zoning, flood, and debris pickup. [01:29:32] We want to expand city services that can be assessed online. Advance solutions based on department needs and city objectives. Expand existing technologies as new features become available and provide resources allowing IT staff to remain up to date with technologies. [01:29:56] Develop. [01:30:00] and information technology master plan. Perform annual third-party security [01:30:06] testing on the city's IT resources. Implement additional infrastructure and [01:30:12] resources to expand the network and provide resiliency. Maintain an [01:30:19] incident response plan with annual testing. Deploy software solutions which [01:30:24] collect and provide the analytics for staff. Collect data analytics utilizing [01:30:30] internal and external tools. And lastly, we have a goal of enhancing police and [01:30:39] fire technologies through integration with Pasco County on a CAD RMS system [01:30:45] which is computer-aided dispatch and record management system. [01:30:54] The next objective. Can I ask a question? Please do. I'm sorry. Maybe Robert can help us on [01:31:04] this. You know, I don't know if this is something we want to even look at. [01:31:10] Maybe the world's just going to take care of it. And that has to do with, you [01:31:17] know, our population having good connections. You know, I've read a little [01:31:24] bit about various cities and developments in here in Pasco County. [01:31:30] It's talking about their high-speed internet connections and how that's [01:31:34] going to attract folks who really need those, whether they're working from home [01:31:38] or they're in business and so forth. And I don't know that I have the [01:31:43] greatest feel for what we have as far as options. And I don't know if we as a [01:31:50] city could offer that to a vendor to somehow bring a high-speed connections [01:31:58] into us. And I don't know if that's going to happen naturally and just organically [01:32:03] or not. But as we talk about advanced emerging technologies, I know that we're [01:32:09] talking about what the city's going to utilize and what we're going to provide [01:32:12] to our people who use our services. But I'm just thinking about is there [01:32:18] anything we can do to encourage that availability for our residents. I know [01:32:23] there's some wireless capabilities that Verizon and others are utilizing [01:32:31] maybe for home internet. I don't know. So I don't know who we ask that question to [01:32:37] or even if it's something we need to look at. Well, Councilman Robert is the appropriate [01:32:41] member of the staff to respond to the question. [01:32:51] Right. And is there something we as a city could do to encourage that to [01:32:57] happen? And one, do we need it? And two, how would we help that [01:33:04] feel that need? You can come up here if you want, Robert, if you can hear better. [01:33:09] If you can. All right. [01:33:14] I'm thinking about how we would reach out to the, if we as a city could provide some incentive to for a vendor to come in and offer this to our residents. [01:33:41] Maybe we could talk to some of our providers. [01:34:12] Does having basically spectrum and frontier competing against each other [01:34:19] help grow the availability for the most up-to-date product? [01:34:42] Internet connections or some of our goals for infrastructure, each one of those vendors, they start to cut their costs in regards to infrastructure, [01:34:59] infrastructure is what drives connectivity. So if you have a strong infrastructure, you can also like fiber optic services, then that opens up for you to provide connectivity at faster speeds. [01:35:13] So with the relationships that I've developed with some of our providers, which have an equal spectrum and frontier, we can reach out to them to see how we can make a better fit. [01:35:30] Just like when I talk to like our cell carrier vendors as well, like Verizon, T-Mobile, and TNT, everybody, you know, the infrastructure, they're wanting to improve that infrastructure to show that they have products around the city and they can provide those services. [01:35:52] So having those partnerships with those particular providers and carriers could help maybe bring more to the city to maybe build out for the residents. [01:36:06] Robert, I'm not sure if it's related or not, but the grant opportunity I sent you maybe earlier this week or last week, is that perhaps what Councilman Peters is referring to? [01:36:19] I don't necessarily think so. [01:36:21] Okay. [01:36:22] That one was more like coming up with an idea that was more, that might be innovative. [01:36:32] But it wouldn't help feed the residential areas? [01:36:38] Now. [01:36:39] Not necessarily. [01:36:40] Okay. [01:36:41] The only reason why I say that is it kind of makes it hard for us because we don't, although we provide utility services, we don't provide internet connectivity to our residents. [01:36:53] And maybe some cities do, you know what I mean? [01:36:55] But that we're looking for. [01:36:59] Yeah. [01:37:00] I guess what, you know, I've gone online and, you know, said, hey, this great service, I go in and put my address and zip, not available. [01:37:09] I go, okay. [01:37:10] You know, it goes back to Frontier and Spectrum is our only choice. [01:37:13] And even some of their top end services are not available. [01:37:20] So that's made me think about that. [01:37:23] I don't know how, you know, we're so established and, you know, I'm sure it's easy, you know, a brand new neighborhood, they throw their fiber out there and it's easy. [01:37:35] But I don't know how they do about retrofitting. [01:37:45] All right. [01:37:46] Just a thought. [01:37:47] Okay. [01:37:49] This is an aside. [01:37:51] Talking about the cable companies and putting new boxes on your house. [01:37:55] I can't tell you how many houses I go to and there's 17 cable boxes on the side of it because they keep changing all the time. [01:38:02] They don't take the old ones out. [01:38:04] Anyway, sorry. [01:38:08] That's awful. [01:38:12] Yeah. [01:38:13] Yeah. [01:38:17] Yeah, need to, right? [01:38:22] Well, I know this is one of the objectives that's been important to you and I think we've done much in terms of moving it forward and that's to improve customer service. [01:38:33] The goals when this objective was originally established was to eliminate unnecessary regulatory processes and revise those who are suboptimal, to streamline access to licenses, permits, and approval processes and development applications that are still ongoing, [01:38:58] and to increase the accessibility of information on property development and business-related processes that are available to the public, still ongoing, provide regular training and educational opportunities that are helping users navigate the development and approval process that has not began. [01:39:24] We want to continue to provide consultation assistance to property owners desiring to make improvements and review internal processes for improvement, and both of those things have been done. [01:39:39] The action items associated with those goals are to purchase CRM software, which we have not done, to develop written reference tools to assist property owners through permitting, which we have drafts of, to provide an ombudsman service to usher developers through required processes, which we haven't really formally done, but some days I feel that's me. [01:40:05] Other days I try to assign Rod. [01:40:09] Review regulatory processes for process improvement. [01:40:15] That's been done, but it's ongoing as well. [01:40:20] Research technology applications which facilitate online permitting and license in process. [01:40:30] Develop customer-friendly communication protocols. [01:40:34] That has been achieved. [01:40:36] Intentionally and regularly communicate processes to users of the systems and services. [01:40:44] We believe that's been accomplished. [01:40:46] Conduct a self-service analysis to increase customer service options. [01:40:52] That has not been done. [01:40:54] Provide applicable resources for grant and our loan programs available to residential property owners. [01:41:01] That has not been done. [01:41:04] Are there any additions or any changes that you'd like to make to the list or any questions? [01:41:13] No. [01:41:15] Then we can move on to 27, which I believe takes us into closing off on our final two objectives. [01:41:33] And the first relates to the city's emergency preparedness response and recovery services. [01:41:41] The objectives are to refine our knowledge and skills across departments to be better prepared for emergencies [01:41:50] with a specific focus on our ability to deliver safety services, [01:41:57] to deliver appropriate, timely public messaging, and to build a culture of preparedness. [01:42:08] In that respect, we want to maintain plans and strategies for whatever major risks might hit the city. [01:42:16] And we want to ensure that city employees assigned to EOC roles are cross-functionally field work trained to the appropriate level. [01:42:26] Those are ongoing things. [01:42:28] We believe that we do have plans in place for all risk categories. [01:42:35] We are currently in process to make sure that all EOC roles that we're starting to cross-train employees [01:42:44] and make sure that they're trained to the appropriate NIMS level of certification. [01:42:51] Do we have a rule, city council, to ensure that all city employees are assigned a role? [01:42:58] No. [01:42:59] Did you give us one? [01:43:01] Not officially. [01:43:03] Give me a gun. [01:43:05] All right. [01:43:08] But it's all hands on deck when the unthinkable occurs. [01:43:16] The only thing I might have you add in there is, and I know you're doing some training here, [01:43:22] particularly for the city's employees that are critical needs, right? [01:43:29] Yes, essential workers. [01:43:31] I would make sure we encourage or in that have some discussions with just our typical rank and file employees [01:43:39] that they have their own personal plans, encourage them to have their own personal plans, [01:43:44] because if they're not taking care of themselves and evacuate and their property and so forth, [01:43:48] who knows when you're going to get them back to work, right? [01:43:51] Right. [01:43:52] So, you know, not only care for them, but care enough that they're safe enough [01:43:59] and well enough that they come back to help us, and that would be, you know, all employees. [01:44:04] So I'm sure that's probably, as you train and review that with critical employees, it spills over, but might add that. [01:44:13] As part of our protocol, we do consider all employees to be essential workers during disasters, [01:44:20] and they sign declarations affirming that as part of their pre-employment package, [01:44:32] and they receive regular communications about that [01:44:36] and understand the responsibility associated with serving as an essential worker, [01:44:42] and they're told to pre-plan for them and their families. [01:44:47] That being said, in the case of an emergency, if you're activated to work, [01:44:55] the city's policy has been we will help you. [01:45:00] with your family if you are in an evacuation route. [01:45:05] If your family is not located within an evacuation route, [01:45:11] they're to stay at home. [01:45:13] But if you are in an evacuation route, [01:45:15] you can't be at work worrying about your family. [01:45:18] Right, that's my point. [01:45:19] So you provide accommodation. [01:45:20] All right, well, you're well ahead of that. [01:45:22] That's great. [01:45:23] That's a good point. [01:45:24] So it was like, say, hey, we're getting hurricane season. [01:45:27] So are they reminded about that? [01:45:30] Yes, they are. [01:45:30] Ongoing? [01:45:32] Chief Fitch does a good job of that. [01:45:36] And he sends out regular communications and weather [01:45:39] alerts and reminds people of their responsibilities. [01:45:42] And this year, he's sending out a note [01:45:46] even to get the number of people that [01:45:51] would need assistance if they're noted [01:45:55] to be within an evacuation route. [01:45:57] So we have an accurate accounting [01:45:59] of who and what paths will be our guests [01:46:04] should we run into a situation where it's necessary. [01:46:08] We have a first aid program, at least a basic first aid [01:46:11] program for people in the field. [01:46:14] Of course, yes. [01:46:16] That's an OSHA requirement. [01:46:20] So the action items will continue [01:46:22] to operate within the statewide emergency response plan, [01:46:26] yellow. [01:46:29] Green, thank you. [01:46:31] Thank you, Chief. [01:46:33] And also green, continue to operate [01:46:35] within the Pasco County All Hazards Comprehensive Emergency [01:46:40] Management Plan. [01:46:43] Yellow will continue to conduct routine emergency management [01:46:47] exercises with city leadership and or essential staff. [01:46:52] We will amend the city disaster plan annually [01:46:55] or as needed, yellow. [01:46:58] Create plans and communication strategies [01:47:02] for all major risks within the city, yellow. [01:47:07] Ensure that all public information [01:47:09] is presented clearly and in a timely manner. [01:47:12] Establish links with the appropriate businesses [01:47:15] that can potentially play a role in the city's response [01:47:19] efforts, ongoing. [01:47:23] Continuously updating employees NIMS training database. [01:47:28] Create emergency management committee, green, done. [01:47:32] Develop workflow to maintain up-to-date employee [01:47:35] information regarding sheltering needs, ongoing. [01:47:39] And providing weekly tropical reports [01:47:41] to staff during storm season, green. [01:47:44] Green. [01:47:48] And I'm prepared to respond to your questions. [01:47:53] Get them while we're going along. [01:48:05] No, Mayor, thank you. [01:48:08] Kelly? [01:48:09] Thank you. [01:48:13] That's it then. [01:48:17] We have a guest. [01:48:22] You have a question? [01:48:24] Comments? [01:48:25] Public comment? [01:48:27] About the whole thing or just? [01:48:29] Anything, yeah. [01:48:34] You are. [01:48:34] That's it, that's it. [01:48:38] If you want to comment, you should come up here, though, [01:48:41] to be by a microphone. [01:48:49] Honestly, I've read through it. [01:48:52] Don't really have any comments. [01:48:54] It looks like it's good stuff. [01:48:58] I mean, I take it the, and I apologize for getting here late [01:49:01] because I really wanted to hear more of the substance of it, [01:49:04] but the taking green things are things [01:49:07] that have been accomplished. [01:49:08] Yellow are your goals for this year, [01:49:10] and white are for future years, or whiter? [01:49:13] Yellow means we've started but not completed. [01:49:16] White means we're advancing it and intending [01:49:19] to implement this year. [01:49:21] Some of the yellows will never be completed [01:49:23] because it's a type of program. [01:49:25] It's ongoing, right? [01:49:26] It's ongoing, right. [01:49:27] Yeah. [01:49:27] OK. [01:49:29] Some of them we changed the color while we went through it. [01:49:32] Yeah, I got some of that, OK. [01:49:36] Anything, I just would encourage the, [01:49:39] I mean, you're already doing things [01:49:42] towards reinforcing downtown, reinforcing the neighborhoods, [01:49:48] and starting to think comprehensively about the US [01:49:50] 19 corridor. [01:49:53] I think the comp plan update needs [01:49:55] to be pushed with all haste. [01:50:00] And the land development code rewrite, [01:50:05] which is in my court, but there's [01:50:09] a lot of potential there to check off [01:50:13] a number of these items in the process, [01:50:17] improving the process for people developing. [01:50:22] One of the things that the land development code [01:50:27] uses the term developer, whether you're [01:50:33] adding a screen porch or developing a new subdivision, [01:50:38] it's all called development. [01:50:40] And people engaging that are all called developers, [01:50:42] whether it's a homeowner. [01:50:43] Or there's not a real distinction [01:50:46] between something that's minor and something that's major. [01:50:50] And that creates a lot of rub in the things [01:50:53] that are in the middle, like Andy's townhouse [01:50:55] project on Central Avenue. [01:50:58] It's been treated like a major development, [01:51:02] but it's really infilling for single family houses [01:51:05] that just happen to have walls to touch. [01:51:09] And so that, I think the land development code can [01:51:13] and should create a distinction between small development [01:51:16] and major, big development. [01:51:20] And I'm going to propose some ways to do that. [01:51:22] But I think that'll help with process, [01:51:24] making it less onerous and daunting for somebody [01:51:27] to come in to improve their house at an ADU [01:51:33] on that great getting up morning when we have an ADU ordinance. [01:51:36] And improve their property to improve the property values, [01:51:42] et cetera, which improve the neighborhoods. [01:51:46] So I think making that an easier and more understandable process [01:51:51] starts with making a distinction between that [01:51:54] and doing a site plan review for a new subdivision, [01:51:59] for example, or for a new commercial. [01:52:01] If you're down on 19, we have buffer requirements [01:52:04] and driveway requirements and signage and landscaping [01:52:07] and all kinds of stuff that gets, for reasonable reasons, [01:52:11] a lot more complicated. [01:52:13] So I think there's a potential there [01:52:18] to help bolster your neighborhoods by making [01:52:21] it easier to improve properties. [01:52:24] That's a great idea. [01:52:25] And we did talk about that a little bit earlier, [01:52:27] where I mentioned, we need to make [01:52:32] it easier for folks that want to come in and do things. [01:52:34] And so we can have, if we're going to have guidelines, [01:52:38] let's have them spelled out for them before they even [01:52:40] come in to start a project. [01:52:44] Don't let them get a bunch of work in and say, [01:52:45] eh, now we don't like it. [01:52:48] Have it a little bit better spelled out. [01:52:50] If we're going to have historic districts, [01:52:52] we want certainness, then we need to spell that out [01:52:56] so that we can, if we're trying to preserve a certain thing, [01:53:00] we can do that. [01:53:06] I mentioned earlier, these more density type dwellings [01:53:12] and projects are going to come. [01:53:13] They need to come. [01:53:14] We need to guide them and provide the framework [01:53:17] so that they can come easily, and it fits in [01:53:21] and how we want it to. [01:53:29] We talked a bit about landscape for commercial [01:53:34] and for some residential. [01:53:40] It's like your central apartment projects, [01:53:47] the setbacks from the road there is, I walked off of it, [01:53:53] it's not very far. [01:53:54] It's like 13 feet or 15. [01:53:57] But it seems the way that it's designed [01:54:00] and the landscape and the elevation differences, [01:54:04] it seems like it's two different worlds apart. [01:54:09] Those type things that I think that folks who are builders [01:54:16] and can utilize that technique and others [01:54:21] that I'm not the expert on, except when I see it, right? [01:54:25] I don't know how to create it. [01:54:27] I think it's a way that our citizens will enhance [01:54:32] these newer infill projects. [01:54:35] It's got to not be a guessing game what's [01:54:38] going to be allowed and not allowed. [01:54:40] It really ought to be set forth in plain language [01:54:44] and also in graphic form. [01:54:46] The shortcomings of most planning documents [01:54:49] is that they're written in prose, what [01:54:53] should be either a table of numbers. [01:54:56] If it's a bunch of numbers, it ought to be in a table. [01:54:59] Setbacks are written in a paragraph. [01:55:00] It's confusing us all day long to read a paragraph [01:55:06] and get what the setbacks are. [01:55:07] In fact, as part of the process of organizing the land [01:55:12] development code, I took all those paragraphs [01:55:14] and put them into tabular form and realized [01:55:16] that there were some setbacks that aren't even addressed [01:55:18] because they just didn't get picked up [01:55:20] when somebody was keystroking from one paragraph [01:55:22] to the next that basically says the same thing in two [01:55:24] different zoning districts. [01:55:26] So it'll be clearer and more understandable [01:55:31] if it's in a table instead of in a paragraph. [01:55:34] And a lot of things should just be [01:55:36] in a good straightforward diagram or drawing that [01:55:40] shows this is what it is. [01:55:43] Pictures worth 1,000 words. [01:55:44] Yes, because there's a lot of it. [01:55:46] So for every 1,000 words in there, [01:55:49] literally you've made a picture. [01:55:50] You've really cut down the amount of paper [01:55:53] and increased the usability of it. [01:55:57] Caveat is you don't want to be too prescriptive [01:55:59] about certain things and styles and getting [01:56:04] into too much detail. [01:56:06] You prevent creativity, right? [01:56:09] Yeah, and you can get yourself into trouble [01:56:14] by being too prescriptive about some things. [01:56:16] But there's a middle road between being too confusing [01:56:24] and being too overly prescriptive. [01:56:26] And I don't think it's hard to find that good path, [01:56:30] but it just takes some doing and work. [01:56:33] But the goal should be to make it clear, [01:56:36] this is what we're looking for with some flexibility [01:56:42] in a range of things. [01:56:43] You don't want to be looking for just one thing, [01:56:45] because you're going to get it wrong. [01:56:47] You have to say, this is what we're [01:56:49] looking for as a range of options and a range of outcomes. [01:56:58] And you're right. [01:57:00] Because you do one thing, you want to cookie cutter stuff, [01:57:02] and that's not the character of this city. [01:57:06] There are some other developments, [01:57:07] and that is what people prefer and like and works with. [01:57:11] That's not here. [01:57:12] Well, it's also not just if it's the wrong cookie cutter, [01:57:15] then nothing will get built. [01:57:18] So if you prescribe something that the market doesn't [01:57:22] support, then it doesn't get built. [01:57:26] And that's been the problem with a lot of aspects of the code. [01:57:29] The reason you don't see things getting built [01:57:31] is because what is allowed is not [01:57:35] what the market's looking for. [01:57:39] So that's another caution. [01:57:44] The code needs to enable and encourage development, [01:57:49] not just throttle it at every chance. [01:57:53] And for a long time, because as the city economically declined, [01:57:59] there was so much fear about allowing things [01:58:02] that codes just got written to just lock things down. [01:58:07] The problem with that is that if you prevent change, [01:58:10] then the only change you're going to get is negative. [01:58:13] And that's been a hard lesson that the city's experienced. [01:58:19] Because things don't change. [01:58:21] Things don't stay static. [01:58:22] People don't not age. [01:58:24] Kids don't not grow up and move away. [01:58:27] And so the character of neighborhoods [01:58:30] changes inevitably. [01:58:32] And if it's not guided towards allowing [01:58:39] the change in a positive direction, [01:58:41] then it's going to change in a negative direction, [01:58:45] be it economically or aesthetically or both. [01:58:50] All those things can go down together. [01:58:52] What did I do, Grace? [01:58:57] Good comments. [01:58:57] Appreciate it. [01:59:01] I just happened to notice this, because I was reading. [01:59:03] I noticed that this was coming up. [01:59:05] Is this usually not something that the public comes to? [01:59:08] We usually do have some attendance. [01:59:12] But it is limited. [01:59:15] It's like, this is important stuff. [01:59:16] This is like setting what you're going [01:59:18] to be doing for the next year. [01:59:23] I didn't even know y'all did this on an annual basis. [01:59:25] This is good. [01:59:31] Maybe. [01:59:33] I'm not sure it was always done. [01:59:34] But it's been done for many, many years. [01:59:36] Yeah. [01:59:41] 10 decades of town. [01:59:46] A lot of different things going on, [01:59:48] trying to make it all grow. [01:59:51] We keep seeing moving forward at the speed of government.

   This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

3. 3Communications▶ 2:00:00
4. 4Adjournment▶ 2:00:53